By us man's rugged nature is refin'd, And polish'd into love and peace.
To the increase of perpetual friendship, and peace amongst
AN ODE ON MASONRY. By brother J. Banks.
GENIUS of masonry descend, In mystic numbers while we sing; Enlarge our souls, the craft defend, And hither all thy influence bring; With social thoughts our bosoms fill, And give thy turn to every will.
While yet Batavia's wealthy powers Neglect thy beauties to explore; And winding Seine adorn'd with towers, Laments thee wandering from his shore; Here spread thy wings and glad these isles, Where arts reside and freedom smiles.
Behold the lodge rise into view, The work of industry and art; 'Tis grand, and regular, and true, For so is each good mason's heart ; Friendship cements it from the ground, And secrecy shall fence it round. A stately dome o'er-looks our East, Like orient Phoebus in the morn; And two tall pillars in the West, At once support us and adorn; Upholden thus the structure stands, Untouch'd by sacrilegious hands. For concord form'd our souls agree, Nor fate this union shall destroy; Our toils and sports alike are free, And all is harmony and joy; So Salem's temple rose by rule, Without the use of noxious tool.
As when Amphion tun'd his song, Ev'n rugged rocks the music knew; Smooth into form they glide along, And to a Thebes the desart grew;
So at the sound of Hiram's voice, We rise, we join, and we rejoice.
Then may our vows to virtue move, To virtue own'd in all her parts; Come candour, innocence, and love, Come and possess our faithful hearts; Mercy, who feeds the hungry poor, And silence, guardian of the door.
As thou Astrea, tho' from earth, When men on men began to prey; Thou fled'st to claim celestial birth, Down from Olympus wing'd thy way: And mindful of thy ancient seat, Be present still where masons meet.
Immortal science too, be near; We own thy empire o'er the mind; Dress'd in thy radiant robes appear, With all thy beauteous train behind; Invention young and blooming there, Here's geometry with rule and square.
In Egypt's fabric learning dwelt, And Roman breasts could virtue hide; But Vulcan's rage the building felt, And Brutus last of Romans died; Since when, dispers'd the sisters rove, Or fill paternal thrones above.
But lost to half of human race, With us the virtues shall revive: And driven no more from place to place, Here science shall be kept alive; And manly taste, the child of sense, Shall banish vice and dulness hence.
United thus, and for these ends, Let scorn deride and envy rail; From age to age the craft descends, And what we build shall never fail; Nor shall the world our works survey, But every brother keeps the key.
To each faithful brother, both ancient and young That governs his passion, and bridles his tongue.
Pray lend me your ears my dear brethren awhile Full sober my sense tho' joking my style; I sing of such wonders unknown to all those, Who flutter in verse or who hobble in prose. Derry down, down, down derry down.
As all in confusion the chaos yet lay, E're evening and morning had made the first day; The unform'd materials lay tumbling together, Like so many Dutchmen in thick foggy weather.
When to this confusion no end there appear'd, The sovereign mason's word sudden was heard; Then teem'd mother Chaos with maternal throes, By which this great lodge of the world then arose.
Then earth and the heavens with jubilee rung, And all the creation of masonry sung;
When lo! to compleat and adorn the gay ball, Old Adam, was made the grand master of all.
But Satan met Eve, when she was gadding, And set her (as since, all her daughters) a madding;
To find out the secrets of free-masonry,
She eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree,
Then as she was filled with high-flowing fancies, As e'er was fond girl who deals in romances; She thought her with knowledge sufficiently cramm'd, And said to her spouse, my dear, eat and be d----d.
But Adam astonish'd like one struck with thunder, Beheld her from head to foot over with wonder; Now you have done this thing, madam, said he, For your sake no women free-masons shall be.
Now as she bewail'd her in sorrowful ditty, The good man beheld her, and on her took pity; Free-masons are tender, so for the sad dame, He made her an apron to cover her shame.
Then did they solace in mutual joys,
Till in process of time they had two chopping boys; The priests of the parish, as gossips devis'd,
By names Cain and Abel the youths eircumcis'd.
Old father Seth next mounts on the stage, In manners severe, but in masonry sage; He built up two pillars that were tall and thick, One was made of stone, the other of brick.
On them he engrav'd with wonderful skill, Each lib'ral science with adamant quill; Proportion and rule he form'd by the square, And directed the use of all masonry there.
But soon did mankind behave past enduring, In drinking, in swearing, in fighting and whoring; Then Jove arose, and fierce in his anger,
Said, that he would suffer miscreants no longer.
Then from their high windows the heavens did pour, Forty days and nights one continual shower; Till nought could be seen but the waters around,
And in this great deluge most mortals were drown'd.
Sure ne'er was beheld so dreadful a sight,
As the old world in such a very odd plight;
For there were to be seen all animals swimming,
Men, monkeys, priests, lawyers, cats, lap-dogs, and
There floated a debtor away from his duns, And next father grey-beard stark naked 'midst Likewise a poor husband not minding his life, Contented in drowning to shake off his wife.
A king and a cobler next mingled to view, And spendthrift young heirs there were not a few: A whale and a Dutchman came down with the tide, And a reverend old bishop by a young wench's side.
But Noah being wisest, faithful, and upright, He built him an ark so stout and so tight;
Tho' heaven and earth seem'd to come together, He was safe in his lodge and fear'd not the weather.
Then after the flood, like a brother so true, Who still had the good of the craft in his view, He delved the ground and he planted the vine, He form'd a lodge, aye, and gave his lodge wine.
Yet statesmen toss, tumble, and jumble the ball; We sit safe in our lodge, and we laugh at them all;
Let bishops wear lawn sleeves, and kings have their
Free-masonry sure is by heaven's appointment.
Now charge, my dear brethren, and chorus with me, A health to all masons both honest and free; Nor less be our duty unto our good king,
So God bless great George let each brother sing.
To the King and the craft (as the master song.)
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